Transcript The Training Imperative for the Virtual Library

The Training Imperative for
the Virtual Library:
Challenges and Opportunities
in the Skill Development of
Librarians
Eeva K. Munoz & Ian B. Whyte
University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario, Canada
Overview
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Environment
Library service redesign
Librarians’ changing role
Strategies for professional
development
Challenges
Conclusion
Environment
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Library:
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Medicine & Dentistry, Engineering,
Health Sciences, Science
Users:
13,000 users
 Distributed teaching and research
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Collections
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electronic only policy
Library service redesign
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User centered service
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services at the point of need
Single service desk as a concept
change in user behaviour
 library as a place of study
 fewer reference questions
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analysis of questions at desks
Proposed service model
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In-library service:
single service desk
 staffed by library assistants
 service guidelines/ referral
 training program
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Virtual library service:
subject based liaison librarians:
collections management, teaching
support, web development
 Crowley 2001(Tacit knowledge, tacit ignorance,
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and the future of academic librarianship.
College&Research Libraries, 62, 565): “The threat
of being seen as peripheral, invisible…should be a
strong incentive to ensure that the librarian, in any
academic environment, is seen as central, visible
and consequential” ….“Moving the librarian from the
reference desk to brick and and electronic
classrooms, combined with context-relevant alliance
with researchers grounded in shared credentials and
interests, may well be the answer to the academic
version of the question, If your customers know as
much as you do, why do they need you?”
Librarians’ changing
role: an educator
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Teaching, outreach, liaison
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Skills development:
technology
 educational design
 teaching techniques
 “soft” skills: communication,
marketing
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Strategies for
professional
development
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Workshops
Team based skills development
Performance management
Individual skills building
Workshops
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ACRL information literacy
standards and simple instructional
design:
what the student will be able to do
 what the student needs to know
 what activity facilitates learning
 how the student demonstrates
learning
 evaluation criteria
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Teaching for librarians
design a good lecture
 instructional objectives
 active learning
 group discussion
 microteaching: feedback from the
group and facilitator regarding
presentation techniques, logical
presentation, use of teaching aids
etc.
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Team-based skill
development
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Avoid isolation, rely on peer
development
Share practices, strategies
Share technical knowledge
Effective when group dynamics are
optimal
Performance
management
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Outcomes based job descriptions
Goal setting - linked to information
literacy outcomes
Objectives include incremental skill
building
Supervisor’s role as a coach and
leader
Individual skill building
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Tied to performance management
Encourage to seek outside
development opportunities
Effective in building communication
skills, technical skills
Challenges
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Realization of the implications of
the changing profession
challenges the manager
 effective facilitation, leadership
skills
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Effective change management
Effective leadership
practices (Kouzes and Posner, 2002)
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Challenge the process
Inspire shared vision
Enable others to act
Model the way
Encourage the heart
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group meetings
task groups involved in identifying
solutions
staff involvement in planning
communication
celebration
Conclusions
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We have moved forward: single
service desk, innovative programs
We are not there yet: challenging
perceptions of reality still pervade
Manager’s role as coach and
leader is crucial
The key is to maintain momentum
with effective teamwork and
outcomes based performance
management